American employers announced more than 104,530 layoffs in November, the third straight month in which total announced reductions topped 100,000, according to a survey released Tuesday by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas. The November tally rose 2.6 percent from October.
Government positions accounted for the largest share of cuts, at nearly 22,000 jobs, followed by the telecommunications sector at roughly 21,000. The firm attributed much of the pressure to rising health care and energy expenses pushing companies toward cost-containment measures.
Separately, household products manufacturer Colgate-Palmolive said it would reduce its global workforce by 12 percent, eliminating about 4,400 positions and closing roughly one-third of its factories over the next four years.
Official government data released Friday showed the US economy added 112,000 jobs in November, a figure that fell short of analyst forecasts. The national unemployment rate stood at 5.4 percent.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in December 2004, in its own words.